Democratic citizenship education and the university in a cosmopolitan world

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis explores the role and responsibility of the university in educating students to be democratic citizens in a cosmopolitan world, with specific reference to South African higher education, and Stellenbosch University in particular. Recent changes in the world, such as globalisation and the rise of the knowledge economy, has brought into question the role of the university, and some argue that the university in the 21st century is no more than another bureaucratic corporation with its business being providing the necessary knowledge and skills for students to become adequately equipped professionals. However, this thesis argues that universities in the 21st century do not only have the responsibility of training students to be competent professionals, but also of equipping them with the necessary skills to be responsible citizens in a democratic society.
In this thesis, a theoretical framework is constructed in order to better understand the concept of democratic citizenship for a cosmopolitan world, and what such an education would entail, where after the South African Higher Education landscape is explored to gain an understanding of the institutional landscape and legislative and policy framework within which South African universities are situated. The final part of the thesis focuses on Stellenbosch University and the extent to which democratic citizenship education for a cosmopolitan world is encouraged and supported at an institutional level.
The ultimate conclusion that Stellenbosch University is committed to the education of students towards democratic citizenship for a cosmopolitan world, at least as far as policy and planning documents are concerned, however raises further questions - amongst others about the transformation of the institutional culture.